Critic Reviews

This is a sometimes wrenching and draining film, but it’s also a powerful and ultimately deeply moving tribute to a group of good and decent men who have been emotionally and, in some cases, physically wounded by war but refuse to surrender.

Mosul is a combat thriller that passes on an appreciation of professionalism and patriotism in a different language, in different uniforms, but with a universal focus on “mission” and “hope.”

It might not reinvent the wheel in terms of either the action thriller or modern day war genres, but Carnahan has delivered a hugely accomplished debut that’s often harrowing to watch but never anything less than eminently watchable, packed with both nailbiting tension and impeccably-crafted set pieces that mark him out as a director well worth keeping an eye on.

Dabbach’s performance and the film’s commitment to that search-and-destroy ideology from the viewpoint of Iraqis themselves create some undeniably satisfying moments.

Instant death lurks around every corner, and the movie doesn’t shy from killing off major characters. But it does play like an odd match of form and content: a story of single-minded humanitarianism framed as a relentless action spectacular.